R Books

I have a copy of the first edition of this book and am still mesmerized by it. When it first came out, everyone I knew at design school who bought it felt like the information and techniques had given them an out-of-body-experience and it quickly became THE book to own, learn from, and emulate. Anyone who buys this book and applies the material and techniques will become better at drawing, rendering, and creative presentation methods...it is a sure-fire way to achieve "star power" in your office and in front of your clients!

great book! Out of the dozens of hand rendering guides I looked at, this was by far the best and the easiest to learn from. It tells you what pencils, markers, and tools to buy to achieve certain effects, and gives you step-by-step rendering instructions for tons of different types of materials and lighting situations. I highly recommend this- in fact, it should be mandatory for interior design students!

This is an excellent resouce for the study of rendering. After detailing the elements of color and design, it describes, step-by-step, how to achieve many finishes both interior and exterior. It is both instructive and informative.

It's really hard to say too many things about this book. Even older editions of Color Drawing are great, but this newest one goes above and beyond the call of duty. In an age when a lot of books get re-released as new editions with few substantive changes, Color Drawing breaks the mold by updating the techniques with current technology (i.e. Photoshop). It's great to see that the author and publisher realize that pure hand-drawing and rendering is quickly becoming a thing of the past and that the practitioners of today and tomorrow need to have excellent computer skills too. This book is full of very useful tips for combining Photoshop with hand drawings to create great effects. So even if you have an earlier edition, do yourself a favor and buy the new one anyway because you will learn a lot.

This is the standard for rendering in architecture and interior design as far as I am concerned. It will most definitely become a required textbook for my classes in visual presentation in the years to come. Doyle takes you step-by-step into the process of rendering with marker, color pencil, and pastels. But he doesn't just spoon feed you the recipe for each material rendering, he presents the basis for a process that allows you to render virtually any material not found in the book.

Hello, Folks this is a great audiobook. Excellent, thrilling, gripping story. Wonderful sound effects. Jason Culp did a fantastic job as narrator. I will listen to F2F many more times. I am going to try and obtain some of Phil Finch's other audiobooks if available. Get this audiobook, now !

The worst part of this book is that it could be real, never let your children at the internet alone, and you have to take care of what are you saying on the net.

Anything by this guy is fantastic! What a future vision...paranoia about keeping your personal information off the public domain seems like a good thing after reading this work.

Great book Phil! Miss you guys!

Rusty In KC

Better than tape!

Once you log on the Net...anyone can find you! April 19, 2001 My father handed me this book becasue I was a "computer guy" and he thought I might enjoy it. (He would have given it 3 stars at most); but being as I am in computers...and you can do everything that is done in this book....I enjoyed it. Anyone who uses a computer, a chat room and a bulletin board will really appreciated it. The deaths are a little more gruesome than is required...but once you get pass that, the book keeps your attention.

It starts slow and picks up with every page. I could not put it down. I finished it on one day! This book is a thriller even up to the last page. A must read.... this is a thoroughly entertaining novel.

Note: I now turn off my computer at night.

My father handed me this book becasue I was a "computer guy" and he thought I might enjoy it. (He would have given it 3 stars at most); but being as I am in computers...and you can do everything that is done in this book....I enjoyed it. Anyone who uses a computer, a chat room and a bulletin board will really appreciated it. The deaths are a little more gruesome than is required...but once you get pass that, the book keeps your attention.

It starts slow and picks up with every page. I could not put it down. I finished it on one day! This book is a thriller even up to the last page. A must read.... this is a thoroughly entertaining novel.

Note: I now turn off my computer at night.

Lamb Chops...What do lamb chops have to do with this story, well everything! Lamb Chops is the vaudeville routine that brought fame to this comedic duo in the late 1920's. I have the link to a You Tube movie short that was filmed in 1929 for this popular routine here. ( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kzFcsdgkg54 ) In this clip and others that I've seen with Burns and Allen, I think Gracie is the reason that they had so much success. She was so natural in her role as the "ditzy dame". She was good if not one of the best funnymen to a straightman role. This book takes the reader back to the waning days of vaudeville and the beginnings of film, radio and television as the new media for bringing entertainment to its audiances. George Burns takes us back down memory lane with a personnal love story that lasted nearly 40 years. His memories include many places and friends that I as a reader enjoyed visiting. I don't read love stories usually, but this love story is one that I enjoyed and won't soon forget.

In our disposable transient society of today, it is a refreshing change to see a love and a marriage that lasted so long. As time goes on, it is becoming an even rarer event.

In this book, Mr. Burns fondly remembers his wife, Gracie Allen. The stories that he tells about her, how they met, and how they managed to stay together so long were interesting to read and entertaining.

I would recommend this book to all ages. It is easy reading and also tells somewhat of the history of vaudeville, radio, television, and movies.

If you love old Hollywood, read this book. If you loved George & Gracie, read this book. If you want to read a true life love story, READ THIS BOOK. I just love the inside scoop on the old Hollywood that George dishes out. I never knew Cary Grant sold neck ties before becoming a screen idol. Harpo Marx (the quiet one) wanted one child in every window to wave goodbye or hello when he pulled up in the drive. George wasn't all that impressed with Marilyn Monroe.

This book is an easy read and so hard to put down.

Growing up, I really only knew Goerge Burns for the occasional television special he would host. Other than that, and his "Oh, God" movie (which came out when I was very young), I was relatively unfamiliar with him.

In the mid 80's, when I was about 10 years old, I found that a local radio station would run old time radio comedies from 8-10pm, and as such, I used to fall asleep nightly listening to the like of Jack Benny, Fibber McGee and Molly, and, of course Burns and Allen.

I finally just purchased this book from and Amazon bookseller about two months ago, and honestly, it's as good a $2.95 as I've spent in a while.

As other reviewers have said, many times bigraqphies can be a bit on the dull side, but George really did well with this. It is an easy read... a page turner. It's very interesting to get more insight on what a great performer she was, and how natural it came to her. One always got the feeling that even though she was delivering her "dizzy" Gracie charater, that underneath that was a very smart, clever person. This book certianly backs that up, and it backs it up with all the warmth and affection George Burns had for his wife.

I thoroughly enjoyed this not only for the story of Gracie, but also as a way to look inside the life of an entertainer at that time. I neverquite understood before what it was to work the vaudeville circuit, but there is a ton of insight in this book.

This is a must read for even the most casual fan of old time radio and the celebrities of that era.

I glanced at the reviews here to see if my opinion of this book was just a fluke, but they pretty much bear me out. I didn't expect this book to be nearly as good as it is. On second thought, though, it's not that surprising. This pair was magic and it was seen in everything they touched, the prime and lasting example being the without parallel Burns and Allen Show.

Burns and Allen successfully weathered many storms, making the transition from Vaudeville and stand-up comedy to radio and later to television. The earliest TV shows are the only ones available on DVD, but in later seasons they really hit their stride. In this hilarious and ground- breaking show, George would turn on the TV in the den to see what Gracie was doing, and regularly chat with viewers about events in progress. Gracie would walk in the wrong side of the set and regale viewers (or listeners) with non-stop comedic patter, malapropisms and surrealistic humour (ala Ernie Kovaks) with George as the straightman and pinnacle of style puffing his ever-present cigar.

Even as an octagenarian he could still act (Oh God, You Devil) but as a nonogenarian (92) he could still write. This marvelous memoir is not only the most delightful reading I've had in a long time, but makes me all the more want the Burns and Allen show on DVD. This book was a bestseller in hardback, but is now unaccountably out of print. Yet many readers would love this book, and would enjoy making the acquaintance of the remarkable Gracie Allen.

The book was great and all but (sigh) why does it always talk about Kara more? And i didnt like when she was able to go to avalon what about Adriannne or Emily? they deserve it more!! Anyway it was about them defeating the sorceress( Kara and Adrianne), (Emily) and destoring blackfire, healing the mistwolves and healing Aldenmore. I hope the next 6 book in the new series waan't talk about Kara more like she is not goood of a character.

This is one of my favorite books but it broke my heart. this author has a special gift of making a character in a book dear to you but she took away
one of those charecters later she will return this charecter but the feeling for the charecter will never quite be the same.

KEEP THIS IN MIND,

avalon heartbreak

This was definatly my favorite Avalon book. It is so exciting and full of adventure. Sure, Kara was mentioned alot, but I thought it was so cool anyway. After a firemental comes for Adrianne, Kara, and Emily, they have to go to Aldenmor to stop the Dark Sorceress. It was full of surprises right to the end when they find the mistwolves. This was a thrilling adventure all the way through, even though one of my favorite characters Stormbringer, makes a painful sacrifice...

The fight for Aldenmor is finally drawing to a close. Join Emily, Adriane, Kara, and their magical animal friends as they jump through portals and rescue the mistwolf pack from the Dark Sorceress. Adriane and Stormbringer, her bonded Mistwolf, find Dreamer, an orphaned pup who is a gifted magic tracker. Storm disappears while holding the pack in mist form and Adriane grows depressed in the long run. Kara and Lyra, a winged leopard, find AvAlon and restore Aldenmor to its original beauty. Emily, in the mean time, is with Ozzie, an elf trapped in a ferret's body, in an elf village where Black Fire has poisoned the villagers and their livestock. Emily heals them and advances in her magic skills. This is an awesome book that teenage magic lovers would enjoy.

AvAlon: Trial by Fire is part of an amazing series by Rachel Roberts. Adriane and Stormbringer, the main characters, are my favorites. I hated the Dark Sorceress though. This book has made me a magic fan for good. I loved Trial by Fire.

I must say it wasn't the best in the series and it wasn't the worst, it was perfect. I am a BIG fan of the avalon series so right away when it was out I so bought it. Anyways now with the story which is basically what we are supposed to type about, Emily, Adriane, and Kara now finally have to destroy black fire... and all have a major part to fufill(i may have spelled it wrong!lol) the prophcey and compelets their destiny. First of all Adrianne has to deal with the dark sorceress with Lyra as Storm turns into mist to save all the mistwolves from these crystals stored with Blackfire! She totally saves the day but... there was a huge price to pay for that. Kara well we find out more about her and she gets once again in this spellsinging spell and is in the sorceress cluthes. Basically the sorceress captures Kara to make her open these portals with fairy map given to her by firemental, to get the unicorn. But eventually the unicorn rescues her and she sadly goes to Avalon which is UNFAIR they all had should, not to mention gets her unicorn jewel!!! Well the magor thing, Emily has to destory blackfire, break the crysatls that contain the mistwolves and most of all heal the mistwolves with blackfire but has help with Zach and later the mages. Well I shouldn't really say they ALL complete their destiny since in book 4 heart of avalon Emily compeletes anpther of her destiny as well so she has to heal avalon later. It was an excellent ending and ALL AVALON FANS SHOULD READ IT NOW!!!!!!!

This book is a presentation of the contributing factors in society and governments which helped shape the Reformation.

This is an outstanding short book on the history of the Reformation. This is the first book by Belloc I have read, but if this book is any indication, he was a master of thematic history. This is not just a list of dates and events, blandly shared. Rather, Belloc gives us a riveting book that is concerned with the historical forces and personalities at the heart of the great religious revolt that has so shaped Western Civilization for the last 500 years.

One could successfully devour this book in the span of two days. But even with its brevity, it is a quite thorough look at the themes and personalities that make up the reformation.

A must read.

Belloc's view of the Reformation is both original and penetrating as he challenges the conventional views of that religious revolt from the perspective of a committed Roman Catholic. The overview of history is not necessarily exhaustive for a 300 page book, but it tends to be a bit repetitive, although when one considers the points that Belloc is trying to emphasize, the repetition is understandable. Basically, he assumes the stance that the Reformation was not originally a religious contest but a political and financial one, and that the nobles and rulers of Europe took advantage of the reformers fever to dissemble the universal Catholic church and distribute their wealth amongst themselves.
Although I agree with Belloc's theory and feel that the breakup of Catholic Christendom was essentially a disaster, I felt that his bias against the Reformation dismissed much of the spiritual sincerity of the Reformers, which is unfortunate. Overall though, it is a great read and one that will challenge those with an open mind. For a companion piece, one should read Novalis' Christendom or Europe, which is found in Novalis: Philosophical Writings published by SUNY Press (1997).Novalis: Philosophical Writings

Mr. Belloc does not give us a detailed history with references to primary sources. Instead, he notes the major currents of thought that shaped history and the missed opportunities that might have deflected those currents from creating the reformation. His history is a macro-history covering the currents created by such factors as the Black Death, rising nationalism, corruption of morals, and more. He asserts, convincingly I believe, that the Protestant reformation was based on the lie that each individual was his own judge of what was right thinking (see more on this in Great Heresies). Further, he asserts, this heresy of man as his own arbiter of truth likely would have failed had it not been for the focus provided in John Calvin's systematic theology.

Whether Protestant or Catholic or Orthodox, it is important to understand the historical currents and the waves that brought about the world as we know it today. America, in particular, with all that is good or bad in it, is a creation of those currents. The cold reasoning that rejects all that is mystical and intangible in modern thinking is also a creation of those currents. It is the fall of man all over again which rejects any authority outside one's self. Protestant and Catholic alike decry this disunity. It is in our interest to understand the causes and effects. Mr. Belloc gives us the broad thinking approach to see the root cause which so many other historians have missed getting lost in the details.

Mr. Belloc is one of the greatest Catholic historians of our time. He provides a compelling Catholic perspective to the tragedy that was the Protestant Reformation that secular (and "official") historians miss. He wrote this book in 1928 and his dire predictions regarding the fruit of the reformation for Western Civilization are, sadly, coming true.

When I was a happy and healthy 39 years old, I abruptly became the first cancer patient I'd known, with a stage III colorectal cancer. Once diagnosed, I put together the best medical team I could. Then I found myself with many equally crucial needs for help as I entered the strange and uniquely personal terrain of my cancer experiences. How will I get through this? What does this cancer mean for my life? Journey Through Cancer provided excellent questions, stories, and tools that helped strengthen and enrich my ability to navigate through cancer. I found Journey Through Cancer at the library, and it was the sole book I found that understood that cancer patients need more than prescriptions for treatment, diet and attitude. Journey Through Cancer coaches readers through a process of discovering their own best responses to the unique impacts of cancer on our lives. For cancer patients and their loved ones, this is a must-read book.

My father is recovering from his second brain surgery in two months, and will soon begin adjuvant radiation and/or chemotherapy. I've been looking for information for him on what he can do to help the healing process from the inside. I recently checked this book out from my local library along with five others. I returned the other four, and haven't put this one down.

Brimming with inspiring stories of actual patients, facts on cancer types and treatments, overviews of alternative therapies, and many references to other books, tapes and organizations which may help you on the "journey through cancer." I know our family will be referring to this book often, throughout the journey, wherever it leads.

I have been a person with cancer since June 1998. I am one who wants answers to questions about my health all the time. Mild depression sets in when I don't get it. "The Journey through Cancer" is definitely a journey through life as Dr. Geffen states. Take one day at a time. Don't fill yourself with questions and grab for answers. His "gameplan" enables a person with cancer to deal with cancer with less anxiety and makes us more in touch with reality. How I wish there were more Dr. Geffens in this world full of cancer whose compassionate nature and an open-minded understanding about various treatments will make it easier for a patient to relate with their physician.

I highly recomend this book to any person with cancer and their families. For truly understanding what we go through physically, emotionally and spritually will make the steps through healing an easier and less stressful one. It will definitely bring about a more loving and compassionate relationship between the patient and the members of the family. Knowing about cancer isn't enough. How we accept and deal with it contribute far more to healing than all medical practices combined.

My most wonderful gift? Dr. Geffen and I communicate regularly by e-mail. I was so happy to receive a reply to my congratulatory message and through his mail, I can definitely experience his compassionate spirit. Thank you Dr. Geffen.

I have been a person with cancer since June 1998. I am one who wants answers to questions about my health all the time. Mild depression sets in when I don't get it. "The Journey through Cancer" is definitely a journey through life as Dr. Geffen states. Take one day at a time. Don't fill yourself with questions and grab for answers. His "gameplan" enables a person with cancer to deal with cancer with less anxiety and makes us more in touch with reality. How I wish there were more Dr. Geffens in this world full of cancer whose compassionate nature and an open-minded understanding about various treatments will make it easier for a patient to relate with their physician.

I highly recomend this book to any person with cancer and their families. For truly understanding what we go through physically, emotionally and spritually will make the steps through healing an easier and less stressful one. It will definitely bring about a more loving and compassionate relationship between the patient and the members of the family. Knowing about cancer isn't enough. How we accept and deal with it contribute far more to healing than all medical practices combined.

My most wonderful gift? Dr. Geffen and I communicate regularly by e-mail. I was so happy to receive a reply to my congratulatory message and through his mail, I can definitely experience his compassionate spirit. Thank you Dr. Geffen.

Dr. Geffen's book, A Journey through Cancer, was a revelation to me, because it showed me how MY participation in the healing process was vital to the outcome of the cancerous condition that had arisen in my body. Good as the doctors and nurses were, I soon discovered that they were most willing to treat my symptoms, that is the outer reality, but there was no inclination whatsoever to address the inner reality,that is the spiritual and emotional aspects of the patient. In most oncology centers, as far as I can see, the holistic approach is practically unknown, to all intents and purposes.

Dr. Geffen explains the basics of the disease and the treatments in very clear terms, so that we are aware of the various processes. These explanations were very helpful to me when asking questions of the doctors and nurses.

I learned from Dr.Geffen that true healing can only come from within ourselves, once we have been able to overcome our fears and denials, once we have reversed our tendencies to repress and withhold, and to view, or feel, that treatments are ordeals to be borne, instead of envisaging our whole being as coming into action in tandem with the treatments. In "The Hound of Heaven", the poet Francis Thomson says: "Fear wist not to evade as Love wist to pursue" - in order to heal, our goal should be to replace fear with love, and Dr.Geffen illustrates this in a singularly illuminating way.

One of Dr.Geffen's most compelling concepts is that of transformation: we are not at war, we are not trying to kill or destroy anything, our wish is to bring harmony throughout our bodies. There is intelligence in all our cells, and our wish is to make all of them aware of their inherent power for wellbeing and joy.

A Journey through Cancer is a masterpiece of a rare order: it is imbued with knowledge, kindness, understanding, and above all it shows that the path of healing, and eventually of being, is through consciousness.

I've read a lot of these type of books. A lot of similarities and a lot of contradictions between books. This books is the most comprehensive one I've read. I've reread it several times and get something new out of it each time.

a great book to read before your weight loss journey. Very well written and it has a good progression of all facets of a weight loss approach minus the recipes.

Through my life I have wanted to change from being an out of control eater to a well controlled person. Eating has been my biggest down fall and I have turned to food for many hiccups through life for comfort.

Jeremy has written this book to talk about his struggles through live and how he learned to over come them. He is transparent with his thoughts and his writing.

It has been encourgaging to read a book that puts the prospective of our mind set in the forefront of our struggle of life. It is our mind set that allows or disallows what we can or cannot achieve in life; and the mind set is choice by each of us as Jeremy helps us see.

The book is easliy read, full of tons of information, inspiration, and truths that we can all use on our journeys through life.

It was also encouraging that when you get on Jeremy's website and you ask a question. . . . he writes! Thanks Jeremy!

This IS THE BOOK ladies! It is not just for men only. If you want to be encouraged and seek the key to transfomation, Jeremy Likness hands you everything you need in his book. I am 49, mother or two, an RN for 27 years, gained 70 lbs and should have known better. This book has given me hope and encouragement and KEYS to getting fit and healthy again. YOU WILL LOVE THIS BOOK. I intend on reading it again and again. It is THAT GREAT of a book!

KAREN S.

It has been said that the way to make money quickly in the book industry is self-help or weight loss fitness books. This book does not really fall into that category. It is written with a passion for a subject and based on personal experience and transformation. There are a number of factors that make this an exceptional book, and even more so an extraordinary fitness book. First is the way it is written - each chapter is written in two parts. It begins with the meat of the matter, the teaching about, health, fitness, wellness ... the second part of each chapter is the personal narrative of Jeremy's journey from being unhealthy to healthy. Mr. Likeness gives numerous examples from his own fitness journey and some from those he has helped to move along that path. In the same way that Sylvester Stallone did in his book Sly Moves : My Proven Program to Lose Weight, Build Strength, Gain Will Power, and Live your Dream.

This book is in part written around the philosophy from the book Body for Life: 12 Weeks to Mental and Physical Strength by Bill Phillips, yet it goes into much greater depth on some of the non-physical factors of health and weight loss or weight management. It deals with issues of stress, family life and work factors that can either help or hinder the physical transformation a person desires to make. This book has a very holistic approach to health and fitness. It presents the argument that in order to make lasting changes in your life, those changes must begin from the inside; transformation starts in the heart and in the mind and then works out in the body. Jeremy states: "Physique transformation is about more than simply losing weight. You will find that your life changes in many ways, too. You adjust to new clothing, a new image in the mirror, even a new sense of energy that allows you to achieve more during the day. Spiritually and mentally, you may change as well. Although these changes are almost always positive, change itself can be something that we fear. For this reason, it is important to understand what changes to expect to better prepare yourself as the process unfolds." Once the physical changes start to become more evident, you will have both positive and negative comments from people in your life. Likeness helps to provide some tools for dealing with both types. An example he gives is that if you have been over weight for a long time, you might not be accustomed to compliments - you will have to learn how to receive them and take some of them to heart.

This book, as the techniques in it are applied, can be a great tool for helping a person achieve greater health and wellbeing. This can be a factor in a longer and happier life. If these goals are things you have been thinking about, or have started working on, pick up this book to help boost your resolve and efforts to make your lifestyle changes.

(First Published in Imprint 2008-05-30.)

Thoroughly enjoyable! The daily grind and politics of work-life are portrayed here in a very well-written and fun fashion.

Management By Vice is full of razor-sharp, satiric humor. You'll find no boring, longwinded analyses of the characters and the fictitious Company's history, though there is enough exposure of human nature to fill a work psychology manual! I like the way the book stays focused on a series of sprightly, humorous episodes, which show various aspects of interactions between managers and technical staff. I have seen and experienced them in the workplace for many years, so I fully agree that Management By Vice is in every way a true-to-life rendition of what takes place in many companies. The writing style is appealing too with witty, short verses that relect the content of each episode. Management By Vice is head and shoulders above the 1st grade reading primer level of many unrealistic, silly humor books about management and the workplace. The repartee between the characters, such as the managers and technical staff, is also very real and entertaining. What can be done about the less-than-satisfactory management described in The Company? Any bright reader will see this type of management must be replaced for the sake of The Company's survival. In fact, the

Most of the satiritical episodes in CB Don's book entitled " Management by Vice" are quite familiar scenes in both commercial and government settings. "Gettting ahead" at the expense of one's integrity as well as colleagues' future is the only means for some people. Greed often blinds ambitious management. A quick promotion and fat bonouses are the driving forces for these managers. Hence, short-term goals, say 3 to 5 years, are all thay care about at present, regardless of the future of the organization. Cooperation mergers are too common a way to survive and getting ahead than collisons on the highway, and lay-off is only a part of the evolutionary process, in the commercial world, where survival of those who are most vocal, but are deficient in both technical skills and vision, seems to be the rule. I thoroughly enjoyed reading CB Don's book. It is humorous, yet candid. I highly recommend it to the current managers and those who are old enough to drink....

Mr. R. K. MSc., Supervisory Civil Engineer, from Michigan, USA.
I find this to be a most delightful book. If you have ever worked in an office, design or R&D outfit, you can really relate to the adventures portrayed therein. I spent 35 years in the egg-laying part of the duck and found the barbed lampoons a titillating reflection of my own adventures. There's also a pleasant sprinkling of cartoons and verse the summarize each fo the 11 episodes. The heroine survives a cliffhanger for those of you that relish a bit of adventure. It's one of those "once you pick it up, you can't put it down" pieces that are a fast read and leave you satisfied like a good pastrami sandwich. For you managers, the Scots have an appropriate saying, "would some power the great giver give us to see ourselves as others see us". Give it a go!!

Its a sarcastic view of management from the point of R&D scientists. From the point of view of the R&D scientists you get to see some of the underhanded and self serving behavior of incompetent management at the fictional company and how it is tolerated by senior members of management. Unfortunately the book does not explore how "The Company" which was once an R&D powerhouse, got to be in this dysfunctional state. Also the book offers very little hope for dealing with a company in this type of state, short of the company being acquired or getting lucky and having unintended benefits during a passive/aggressive power struggle amongst management. If you were attracted to reading this book by the title "Management by Vice" I would recommend skipping this one and instead read The Below-the-Belt Manager by Eric Broder which I found to be more Humorous than this book.

With over 50 contributing Experts to this book you can't go wrong.

There is so much to be learned it is incredible.

Each leason is short and easy to read. You could take each leason in the book and apply it immediately with out any added cost.

I also had the pleasure of interviewing over 30 of the authors from The Masters of Sales book and if you would like the mp3 audio's for free Register at [...] and under the referred by section put MastersOfSales and we will email you the links to download the MP3's

Thanks Ivan and Don for such a Masterful Book.

Masters of Sales. Secrets from top sales professionals that will transform you into a world class salesman. Ivan R. Misner & Don Morgan. 2007. ISBN 1599181290. This book needs to be on every sales persons shelf beside the phone. Its been quite a while since I have found so many great sales ideas form so many to notch sales people in one volume. There is knowledge here that will benefit newbies right through to old sales dogs. Of course if you are content to not be among the top 10 % of producers among sales people who also are the most voracious readers, then you lose nothing by ignoring this book. Your loss is your competitors gain. Buy it, read it, use the advice and read it again. Yes I liked this book. Its everything that Google library says it is below:

Sold! The magic word. The holy grail. Why are some salespeople remarkably successful, while others make call after call with no results? How do some turn any no into a yes, while others can't even get their foot in the door? For the first time, more than 80 of the most successful salespeople in the world have come together to reveal their secrets to success. You'll learn what makes these outstanding sellers true masters of their craft-and how you can adapt the masters' tactics for your own. Learn Martha Stewart's secrets to promoting yourself as an expert. Discover the 11 key questions to ask from Harvey McKay. Get Anthony Parinello's advice on selling to CEOs. Be trained in guerrilla tactics for direct selling from Jay Conrad Levinson. Find out Brian Tracy's secrets on the psychology of selling. Bursting with valuable advice from Jack Canfield, Anthony Robbins, Keith Ferrazzi, Tom Hopkins, Al Lautenslager and more than 70 other masters of the art of selling, this exclusive compilation of the best sales strategies ever known puts you on the fast track to sales success.

Ivan R. Misner and Don Morgan have co-authored several books, including Masters of Success as well as this one in which 73 "masters of sales" share their secrets. What soon became obvious to me as I worked my way through this book is that I was exploring a paradox: peak performers in sales share much in common (persistence, rigorous preparation, a positive mental attitude, sharp focus, a high energy level, people skills, a thick skin, etc.) and yet each possesses a unique "something" that cannot be duplicated, or even quantified with any precision. Bill George calls it a person's "true north, the internal compass that guides you as a human being at your deepest level. It is your orienting point - your fixed point in a spinning world - that helps you stay on track as a leader. Your True North is based on what is most important to you in terms of your most cherished values, your passions and motivations, the sources of satisfaction in your life. Just as a compass points toward a magnetic field, your True North pulls you toward the purpose of your leadership."

The subtitle of this book at least implies that by learning various secrets from top sales professionals, the reader will be transformed into "a world class salesperson." That is, of course, nonsense and Misner and Morgan presumably know better. What their book offers, rather, is a rare opportunity to share insights from dozens of successful people, conveniently assembled within in a single source and presented sequentially in eleven chapters, each of which assigned a central theme. For example, "The Master of Sales Attitude: Aligning Your Inner Self with Your Outside Personal Image" in the first chapter and "Closing the Customer: It's in the WOW Factor" in the final chapter.

Most of the contributors were unfamiliar to me but I greatly appreciate what they shared. Of course, Misner and Morgan include essays by "the usual suspects" such as Jay Conrad Levinson, Zig Ziglar, Brian Tracy, Anthony Robbins, and Harvey Mackay. There are at least two reasons why all of them are generally considered "super stars" in sales: first, they sell lots of their own stuff (i.e. books, CDs and DVDs, seminars and workshops); also, they have successfully trained thousands of others (who bought their stuff) to sell whatever their respective companies offer. But again I wish to stress that Zig Ziglar, for example, does not clone himself. His objective is to inform but also to ignite those with whom he has contact, directly in person or indirectly via his books and tapes. He urges those in sales to master basic skills, of course, but constantly stresses the importance of formulating or adopting strategies and tactics that are most appropriate to their own needs and interests. In "Sales 101: What Every Sales Professional Needs to Know" (Pages 15-19), Ziglar makes several basic points of indisputable validity - citing ten highly desirable habits that he has found to be "extremely useful" in all aspects of his life -- but this advice will be of little (if any value) unless and until another person grasps, indeed embraces its meaning and significance, then applies effectively what she or he has learned from Ziglar. The same is true of advice offered by other successful men and women who, like those who contributed to this book, share the lessons they have learned, especially from their failures.

My guess (only a guess) is that this book will be of greatest value if the Contents section is checked out first so that each reader can then determine which themes - and which selections clustered with each theme - are of greatest interest. (Caveat: It would be a mistake to ignore contributions by those who are unfamiliar.) I presume to suggest that there are three basic questions that each person in sales must be well-prepared to answer when in contact with a prospective buyer. The first two pose no significant challenges (or at least shouldn't) but success or failure almost always depends on the response to the third. Here they are:

Explicit: Who are you?
Implicit: Are you honest? Do you know what you're talking about? Have you made an effort to understand my business? Will you protect my best interests? Are you and your organization reliable? Can I trust you?

Explicit: What do you do?
Implicit: Which specific products and services do you offer that I need? Can you answer my questions? Can you help solve my problems? Will you "go the extra mile" when that is necessary?

Explicit: Why should I care?
Implicit: What differentiates you from other sales people? What differentiates your products and services from what competitors offer? What unique value-added benefits do you offer? Will doing business with you strengthen my own customer relationships?

Credit Misner and Morton with carefully selecting and then brilliantly presenting a wealth of material that can help to answer both explicit and implicit questions such as these.

Those who share my high regard for this book are urged to check out the aforementioned Masters of Success also co-edited by Misner and Morgan as well as two books by Tom Butler-Bowdon: 50 Success Classics and 50 Self-Help Classics.

This book reinforces what you've been told over and over again - selling is about relationships and you must work to be good at it. Throughout this book however, are basic principles that should be reinforced and refreshed. Especially take note of page 239. Role playing is a no-brainer when preparing for any presentation, but how often do we do it with the client who we've already sold? This book truly has light bulb moments!

It's been said there are only two certainties in life: death and taxes. Perhaps if would be fitting to amend this to include the fact that sales are an absolute certainty in this life. Who has not dreaded the purchase of a vehicle or trip to a retail store where a hoard of salespeople surround you looking to score the latest commission? A closer look at "sales," however, indicates it is a fitting filter to understand many vocations.

Isn't the minister actually a salesperson who is intent upon moving his parishioners ever closer to a "close?" What of the school teacher who daily sells the student on the need for an education so that they can live their dreams? Of course, those who actually sell goods are what are stereotypically imagined by the term sales.

Everyone can benefit from the refreshing book, Masters of Sales, a work full of practical ideas born out of the actual practice of modern "master sellers." The work is skillfully divided into short vignettes grouped under a common theme, such as: The Buyer's Perspective. Those who sell on a day-to-day basis will be inspired by sales legends: Zig Ziglar, Martha Stewart and Brian Tracy, just to name a few of the 73 who have corroborated on this work.

The vignette that resonated the most deeply with me was the one supplied by Jack Canfield, of Chicken Soup for the Soul fame. He elaborates how he and co-creator Mark Victor Hansen sought the advice of Ron Scolastico and utilized his Rule of 5. Every day, ask yourself, "What five things can I do that will move me closer to my goal that will make a quantum leap for my career?" Then do them. If everyone read and then put this vignette into play - the very nature of industry would be changed in a few months.

If your career even peripherally involves sales, then you would love this book. If I purchased only one book in 2007 - this book would be it, hands down. I inhaled this book and look forward to more books in this series.

Armchair Interviews says: Super book about sales that should be on your bookshelf.

This book is undoubtedly one of R.L. Stine's finest anthologies. It is awesome and consistently scary. So many of the stories are really terrifying. Here are some my favorites:

"Pumpkinhead" 9/10: Great story. I won't give too much away, but it's about a kid, his friend, and his brother who get more than they bargained for when they go pranking in a pumpkin patch.

"Nightmare Inn" 10/10: What can I say? This has it all. Werewolves, creepy inns, and weird receptionists. Great ending, by the way.

"I'm Not Martin" 10/10: This was my all-time-favorite of the book. My score really doesn't do it justice, seeing how absolutely nerve-wracking and disturbing this story is. I won't ruin it, only that you, no matter how much you are desensitized to horror, even you will get at least a moderate fear of hospitals. This will scare you even more than that buckets-of-gore movie "Hostel". This should be make into a big blockbuster summer movie.

"Afraid of Clowns" 9/10: Let's just say you won't want to be a clown's "assistant". EVER.

"The Dead Body" 9/10: Definitely had an awesome twist ending. That alone is worth reading this story for.

Also, the other stories in this book, with a score but no comment:

"Alien Candy" 8/10
"The Most Evil Sorcerer" 7/10
"The Black Mask" 8.5/10
"Make Me A Witch" 7.5/10
"The Ghostly Stare" 8/10

That, in a nutshell, is what I think of the book. At first, I thought it was just a wimpy kid's horror book; but after reading it, I loved it. Definitely one of the, if not the best R.L. Stine anthologies ever. I thought I have just one more thing to say: BUY IT. NOW.

This is a really excellent short story book. Each story is very original, and the art is really crazy for the books. The story synopsis are below, and the rating, just to give you an idea of what they're about.

1. Pumpkinhead: 5/5 - A crazy tale of three kids who go to a pumpkin patch at night, and the terror that lurks within. A pretty awesome tale.

2. Alien Candy: 4/5 - A strange and bizarre tale of an alien lover's club and the truth behind the kids.

3. The Most Evil Sorceror: ?/? - This probably doesn't help, but I didn't read this one. Oops!

4. Nightmare Inn: 5/5 - A pretty humurously scary tale of an abandoned inn where a young girl and her mom are renovating, and the truth about what lies within, and the truth about the nice woman who owns it, Priscilla.

5. I'm Not Martin: 6/5 - Super original tale that is so deeply distrubing because it COULD HAPPEN TO YOU!!!

6. The Black Mask: 5/5 - Almost like a mini book about a group of friends who feel that they can see the fatal past of a group of kids through a black mask found in the basement of the main character's new home.

7. Afraid Of Clowns: 4/5 - Me, being a total freak-out when it comes to clowns, didn't want to read this story, but when I finally did, it was pretty crazy!

8. The Dead Body: 5/5 - This one had a very Twilight Zone-esque feel to it. It was pretty awesomely put together.

9. Make Me A Witch: 4/5 - A pretty freaky tale about a girl who wants to become a witch. Pretty freaky!!

10. The Ghostly Stare: 4/5 - A pretty awesome story about what happens in a graveyard at night, told from the POV of a girl and her brother. The ending is pretty strange and a little unexpected, but still a great story.

Sorry about number 3. I'm gonna read it right after this review. Otherwise, I hope you get the picture and buy the book because it's really awesomely cool and fun and terrifying to read at night!

This was a really fun book to read. Each story is different. Each story is scarey. If you loved Goosebumps... this is better. Highly recommended.

R.L. Stine is one of the best authers that i have had the pleasure of reading. Even though this book is for kids, i am still reading it at the age of 16. i still get goosebumps from reading his stories.

Genre: Scary
Three Sentence summary: There were a lot of character but the main ones were Pumkin head, The black mask, and The ghostly lady. The problem was that they were scaring people and being thiefs. The last time they were seen was in a dark cemetary.
What I liked most about the book: I liked the stories in it because they felt real.
What I didn't like and why: I did not like the ending of some stories because they were not that good.
My favorite character and why: My favorite character were the allien bugs because they were bad and thiefs.
The scene,line,or passage that meant something to me and why (page#): "He was a very good friend". Because it tells you there are good friends and bad friends and you have to appreciate the good ones. Page.121
What I would say about this book to someone else: I would say that this book is worth reading because it keeps you in suspense, and it will scare you.
One question i have after reading this book: How does R.L Stines come up with this book.
My strongest reason for recommending this book: It's a good, mysterious book that will scare your pants off.